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International Migration News - Volume #8 | |
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Canada: Liberals, Chinese
Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his Liberal Party won re-election in Canada on November 27, increasing their number of seats in the 301-seat Parliament from 161 to 171. The Canadian Alliance is expected to be the main opposition party in Parliament--it gained nine seats, bringing its total to 67. Chinese. Canadian Security Intelligence Service released a report on November 29 predicting a wave of illegal migration from China. China's entry into the World Trade Organization will reduce trade barriers and displace millions of farmers and industrial workers. Many money-losing state-owned businesses --which support 200 million people - are expected to close and lay off workers. For more information: http://www.csis-scrs.gc.ca/eng/comment/com79e.html The White House's International Crime Threat Assessment released a report in December 2000 that concluded that the US "faces a growing threat from Chinese organized crime groups that are using Canada as a base from which to conduct criminal activities." The report singles out the Canadian program that gives immigrant visas in exchange for investments in Canada, saying that organized crime figures "have exploited Ottawa's immigration policies and entrepreneur program to enter the country and become Canadian residents, which makes it easier for them to cross into the United States." For more information: (http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/NSC/html/documents/pub45270/pub45270index.h tml) Canadian immigration officials are holding Lai Changxing, who faces the death penalty in China as the mastermind of a smuggling ring. China has asked that he be extradited, where he will face the death penalty. Lai denies any wrongdoing and is seeking political asylum; his lawyers note that 14 members of the smuggling ring already have been put to death in China. Canada has no death penalty and no extradition treaty with China, and it generally refuses to return fugitives to countries where they may be executed. An alleged Tamil terrorist, Manickavasagam Suresh, is appealing a deportation order, arguing that if he is deported to Sri Lanka, he will be tortured. Suresh was found to be a member of Tamil Tigers who raised funds for the group in Canada and ordered deported. In January 2000, the Federal Court of Appeal upheld the deportation of Suresh, ruling that those who raise money for terrorism are as culpable as those who actually plant a bomb. The Canadian government charged a head tax of $50 and later $500 on Chinese immigrants, and collected $23 million between1885 to 1950 from 81,000 Chinese immigrants under the Chinese Immigration Acts of 1885, 1900, 1903 and 1923. A suit filed in December 2000 seeks compensation for the head tax. Gypsies. There have been "revolving-door" refugee claims by Gypsies from Hungary in Canada. Almost a third of the asylum applications filed between April and November 2000 were made by Hungarians arriving on international flights in Toronto; a total of 1,045 in the first nine months of 2000. Most are believed to be Gypsies, many of whom had previous asylum applications rejected. Canada does not require visas for Hungarians traveling to Canada. Canada permits foreigners who have been denied asylum to file another application 90 days after their removal. Sanctions. On November 29, Canadian immigration agents and the Royal Mounties raided meat-packing plant Erie Meat Products and apprehended 57 illegal migrants, including workers from Ghana, Grenada, St. Lucia and Jamaica. The workers were paid $7 an hour to cut meat that was resold through a network of Toronto-area grocery stores; a temporary help agency that supplied the workers is being investigated. This is the fourth factory raided by immigration agents during November, there have been more than 100 arrests.
Jim Bronskill, "Chinese Gangs
Using Canada To Enter U.S.," National Post, December 20, 2000. | |
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